Improvement in axle-nuts and axles



"titte @States Letters Patent No. 104,901, dated June 2S, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN AXLE-NUTS AND AXLES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part cfv the :ame

To all whom yit Inza- 1; concern:

Be it known that I, CHAUNCEY THOMAS, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massa-chusetts, have invented an Improvement in Axle-Nuts and Axles; and I do `hereby declare that the following, taken in connection y,with the drawing which accompanies and forms part' of' this specification, is a de, scriptionof my invention sufiicient to enable those skilled, in the art to practice it.

In connnon road-carriages, the wheels are generally kept upon their axles by nuts, which conlineeach wheel-box between a flange on the axle at one endof the box, and a washer (between thc nut and the box) at the outer end of the axle.

To keep the nut in place, it is always turned onto the screw-threaded end of the axle in the same direction the wheel rotates; but notwithstanding this precaution, and notwithstamling the employmentof checknuts, and of pins .running through the nut and axle, axle-nuts will sometimes get loose and comel otf', causing the wheel to fall from the axle, and the carriagebody to drop. This is particularly the case with capped axles, because the cap covers the nut ,and keeps it from sight.

lhe object of my invention is to so apply the nut that it cannot be displaced by accident, the provision for such application, however, enabling the nut to be readily removed by design. l To accomplish this I cut a slot in the end ot' the axle, (diametricali'y across it,) and also correspondingly slot the outer face of the nut, and hinge to the nut, in one of its slots, a latch, pin, or key, which, when shut against the axle, enters the slots in the end of the axle, and in the opposite side of the nut, and keys the axle and nut together, or so that there can be no relative rotation, while, when the key is swung out, it clears the slot in the axle, enabling the nut to be easily removed.

It is in a nut so connected to the axle that my invention primarily consists.

'lhc key is, preferably, so made and hinged, or

jointed to the nut, that it closes with a spring and opens with a spring, like a pocket-knife blade, it bcing thus kept from rattling or loosening, as well as from displacement.

lhe drawing represents ono cud of' an axle anda nut, embodying my invention.

A shows an cnd view ofthcm.

B an axial section, the bolt being sluit into the end of the axle.

O is a similar section, the bolt heilig opened or thrown out from thc axle.

D is an axial section, taken across thc'kcj'. Y E is a cross-section through the key.

F is a side view ofthe nut.

a denotes the axle, and

b thc unt. v

In the end of the axle the slot c is cut, thc slot being deep enough to receive a key or latch, cZ.

Oneend of this latch or key is jointed or hinged in a slot, c, cut in the face of the mit 1), on one side oi' the axle, and the other end ot' the key lits into a slot, f, cut in the nut on the opposite side of the nutt-hread, so that, when the bolt is thrown down against the axle-end, it extends through the slots in the axle and nut, and locks the nut and axle from rotation, the key, preferably, sinking into the end of the axle,

in such manner that the outer surfaces of nut, key,

and axle shall be iiush.

When thc key or latch is swung ont on its hingepin g, as seen at C, it leaves the nut free to lturn, as will bc readily understood.

before observed, I prefer to make the latch (with reference to its opening and closing) as a spring, its construction being as follows:

The latch or key is bifnrcated at its hinged end, and the two prongs h h normally spring open, as seen at A. In the outer side of cach is an angular notch, fi, and extending from cach 'adjacent wall of the nutslot o is an angular projection, k, and, when the latch is thrown down toward the axle-end, its prongs are first pressed together by thc action of the projection L, but spread apart by their spring (the notches flying over the projections) as the latch enters the axle- Islot, the meshing of the angular notches and projections locking the latch in position, as will be readily understood.

The prongs may have a second set of notches, o o, to hold thc latch in open position when it is thrown out from the axle-slot.

It will be obvious that this` construction insures the safety of the nut as to its removal from the axle, and enables av capped axle to be used, with a certainty that thc nut cannot csc-ape from thc axle.

I claim- A nut and axle, -in which thenut is kept from rotation (when screwedA upon the axlc) bya hinged latch orkey, which enters slots in thc nut and axle, substantially as described.

` Also, a nut, having a latch or kcy hinged or jointed to it, substantially as shown and described.

Also, in combination with,thc nut, a latch or key, having provision for hclding it down to the nut, or standing out therefrom, substantially as described.

(JHAUNOEY THOMAS.

Witnesses:

J. B. Cnosnr, 11nAxo1sGoULn. 

